1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dilution control systems, and more particularly to systems for diluting and dispensing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids. The dilution control system of the present invention includes a container of chemical cleaning fluid releasably mounted to a plastic dispensing structure, which is in fluid communication with a water source. The dispensing structure includes an externally actuated switch for activating a mechanism in the dispensing structure that permits release of the chemical cleaning fluid from the container. When the switch is actuated, a diluted aqueous solution of the chemical cleaning fluid flows out of the dispensing structure at about the same time that water flows into the dispensing structure. The diluted aqueous solution can then be received in a bottle or a bucket for use, e.g. in cleaning targeted surfaces such as floors and bathroom fixtures.
2. Background
Dilution control systems are commonly used in the sanitary maintenance industry for diluting and dispensing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids. Such systems allow sanitary maintenance personnel to take advantage of the economies that can be derived from purchasing chemical cleaning fluids in concentrated form, and then diluting and dispensing the cleaning fluids at the locations where they are needed. It is therefore important that dilution control systems dilute and dispense the cleaning fluids accurately, thereby achieving a desired chemical concentration for cleaning purposes and avoiding wasteful overuse of the concentrated chemical cleaning fluid.
Further, because concentrated chemical cleaning fluids are often harmful to sanitary maintenance workers when they come into direct contact with the fluid products, it is also important that dilution control systems dilute and dispense the cleaning fluids safely, thereby eliminating any unwanted dispersion or spillage of the concentrated and/or diluted cleaning fluids. Finally, because sanitary maintenance workers as a group typically have a range of skill levels, from highly skilled sanitary maintenance engineers to unskilled custodial workers, it is important that dilution control systems are convenient and easy-to-use, thereby avoiding any complicated measurements and/or operating procedures.
Various systems have been used for dilution control in the sanitary maintenance industry. Several such dilution control systems are sold by The BUTCHER.TM. Company ("BUTCHER"), Marlborough, Mass., USA. For example, BUTCHER sells the PIPELINE.RTM. concentrate bottle, which has a built-in measuring chamber for accurately dispensing measured quantities of concentrated chemical cleaning fluids for subsequent dilution. Further, BUTCHER sells the KDS.TM. keg delivery system, which includes measured quantities of concentrated chemical cleaning fluid for subsequent dilution in a multi-gallon keg.
Although the PIPELINE.RTM. concentrate bottle and the KDST.TM. delivery system have both been successfully used for accurately, safely, and conveniently diluting and dispensing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids, these dilution control systems have a drawback in that they are primarily useful for low volume cleaning applications.
BUTCHER also sells the COMMAND CENTER.RTM. dilution control system, which utilizes a venturi effect for drawing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids into a flow of water. Specifically, the COMMAND CENTER.RTM. dilution control system includes an eductor, which has a thin tube with a hole in its side. Water flowing through the tube creates a vacuum at the hole, which draws the concentrated chemical cleaning fluid into the tube. The eductor also includes tips with various sized holes for controlling the amount of concentrated chemical cleaning fluid that is drawn into and diluted by the water flow. Accordingly, a desired concentration of chemical cleaning fluid can be quickly and easily dispensed into a bottle or a bucket for subsequent use.
Although the COMMAND CENTERS.RTM. dilution control system has also been successfully used for safely and conveniently diluting and dispensing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids in high volume cleaning applications, using the venturi effect to draw a concentrated chemical cleaning fluid into a water flow for dilution purposes sometimes does not provide the desired level of accuracy.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,404 ("the '404 patent") issued Jun. 20, 1995, to Dyer, a gravity-feed fluid dispensing system for dispensing a fluid and for mixing the fluid with another fluid is described. In accordance with that disclosure, the fluid dispensing system includes a bottle containing a quantity of fluid, which is inverted and engaged with the dispenser assembly. The fluid dispensing system is constructed so that the bottle is opened to allow the fluid to flow through the system when the bottle is engaged with the system, and to close the bottle when the bottle is not engaged with the system. A second fluid, e.g., water, may be introduced into the system and mixed with the first fluid, e.g., a concentrated chemical cleaning fluid, in a controlled manner to dilute the first fluid.
However, the dispensing system described in the '404 patent also has some drawbacks. For example, that dispensing system uses rotational manipulation of the bottle containing the concentrated chemical cleaning fluid to activate fluid flow from the bottle. Custodial workers must therefore completely rotate the bottle to an "on" or "open-flow" position for diluting and dispensing the concentrated chemical cleaning fluid, and then completely rotate the bottle to an "off" or "top-flow" position for preventing any further unwanted flow of the cleaning fluid from the bottle. However, custodial workers, especially those with low skill levels, may fail to rotate the bottle back to the stop-flow position after dispensing the cleaning fluid, thereby causing the cleaning fluid to leak from the inverted bottle. The dispensing system described in the '404 patent therefore lacks the high level of convenience required by today's sanitary maintenance workers.
It would therefore be desirable to have a dilution control system that can be used for accurately, safely, and conveniently diluting and dispensing concentrated chemical cleaning fluids. Such a system would be suitable for use in high volume cleaning applications. It would also be desirable to have a dilution control system that prevents overuse and/or leakage of concentrated chemical cleaning fluids from the system.